Jon Wyatt

Hey guys,

Writing long blog posts was taking a lot of time, and I found that I couldn't keep up with this site if I continued to write it the way I was, so I decided to start a daily series with each week focusing on a new topic. Check it out here!

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted, mostly because I haven't had time with school and work, but also because I haven't had any ideas to write about. A friend of mine from school suggested that I could write about technology, so that's what this post is about. If you have any topics you want me to write about, share my opinion on, or just have some ideas about how I could make my blog better, let me know in the comments below or on the "Suggestions" page.

Ever since I first used a computer, I was fascinated with it. The first computer I ever used was an old Windows PC that had less memory than most smartphones do today. It was very slow, couldn't be online when someone was using the house phone, and took three hours to load a YouTube video, but it still was amazing to me. Since then, I have purchased my own MacBook Pro, which allows me to create websites, iPhone apps, music, videos, and all kinds of media. Even if you don't write apps or create websites, there's a really good chance that you create media too! 

Just think about it. Most of us have at least one social network, maybe more. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, Tumblr, Reddit, or another form of social media, we use it to share our experiences with others. This can be a very good thing, or something extremely bad. I like to think of technology like a hammer. It's a tool that can be used to build, or it can be used to destroy. While I try to use technology to spread the Gospel and share my personal life with others via the internet, the responses are not always uplifting. I've had a few people use the internet to personally bully me, whether it's individuals hiding behind fake phone numbers, Ask FM questions, or even entire accounts set up to bully me. 

At my previous school, there was a group of a few guys that I had classes with who made it a daily habit to try to make me have a bad day. I had never really talked to them, but I would receive texts, comments on Instagram, and Facebook messages telling me I would never amount to anything in life. Sometimes people say that cyberbulling doesn't hurt, but I think it can hurt more than physical bullying sometimes because you don't know who's doing it.

Since then, I've tried to make a positive difference with technology. Rather than sending someone an anonymous text bullying them, I'll send someone a text telling them to "Have a great day!" Instead of tweeting how much I dislike someone, I'll try to tweet something encouraging about them. 

I think social media is an important part of our lives, but we really need to be careful how we use it. Yes, it can be a great way to communicate with others, but it can also become a way to discourage other people. I've tried to make sure that before I post something online, it meets three guidelines: It's glorifying to God, it's not to put someone down, and it's not something that I will regret later. I've found that following those three guidelines has helped me to stay positive more, and also be more like Christ through my interactions on social media. 

Another reason I believe technology is a powerful tool is because of it's military uses. Right now, my plan for the future includes getting my master's degree in cyber security and working for the NSA as an ethical hacker or as part of a counterterrorism unit. 

I believe this will be very rewarding, as I am able to use my skills with coding and hacking to protect our country while sharing the Gospel in an environment (such as the government) that intends to exclude God from its work. 

If you have any stories about how you have used technology for good, please leave them in the comments below. I'd love to see how others are using this tool to be a light in the world!

Over the course of the past few years, I have been considering what I'm going to do when I graduate from high school. Like many people, I wanted to have a well-paying job, a good education, and other things that society says will get me far in life. Since this is my senior year of high school, I'm starting to narrow down my options, but there's still time for me to make decisions.

Up until this past summer, I wanted to go straight from high school to Liberty University, where I would major in computer science, and eventually get a master's degree in cyber security which would help me secure a job working for the government (NSA, FBI, or CIA) as an ethical hacker. When I would tell people that this was what I wanted to do, they would always say that it's great that I'm going to do what I want to do with my life. It seemed like I had everything figured out, but this past summer, my plans for my future after high school changed.

I have attended Word of Life Island in Schroon Lake, New York for a week over the past few summers, where I was able to compete in a web-based Gospel presentation competition, hear some great sermons from guest speakers, and meet other teens who were there to learn more about Christ. Word of Life, the organization that hosts the camp also has a Bible Institute, where students can take one or two years to study God and His Word. I had heard about the college many times from friends who have gone there, or from the staff at the camp, but never considered attending, since it seemed like I had everything figured out already.

During one of the sermons I heard at Word of Life Island this past summer, I started to realize that while I had a plan for my life, I never had considered what God would want me to do. I prayerfully considered this, and came to the conclusion that I should take at least one year of my life to attend Word of Life Bible Institute. Although I would not work towards my degree, I would get a solid foundation based on the Bible for the rest of my life.

Last week, my dad and I packed our bags and flew down to Florida, where Word of Life Bible Institute has a campus, and I was able to have the opportunity to spend a couple days on campus attending classes, staying in the dorms, and interacting with the students and staff. Having visited another college prior to Word of Life, I had an idea of how the time at the college would go, but I was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming attitude of all of the people I met there.

While I was there, I decided that I am indeed going to spend a year at Word of Life Bible Institute, and see what God has in store for me after my time there. I want to encourage you to not necessarily do what you want to do in life, or even what is expected of you, but do what God calls you to do. Sometimes we may have a plan that seems good and beneficial for us, but God can have something so much better planned for us. We just have to trust Him.

Some people have amazing talents. There are professional athletes that set new records every week, doctors who discover cures for diseases, and musicians that create masterpieces that last for centuries. These people didn't just become famous, but spent years studying, practicing, and researching to be the best that they could be in their field. Some things, like socializing with others, seem to come almost naturally for most people, but not for me. 

A few years ago, a doctor diagnosed me with Aspergers Syndrome. For those of you who don't know what Aspergers is, it makes certain aspects of life easier or harder for someone. For me, working with computers comes naturally. I can sit behind a computer for hours writing lines of code, creating websites, making videos, producing songs, or even talking to people via Facebook, texting, or other forms of social media, but when I actually try to talk to someone in person, I can't find the right words to say. It's not that I don't like talking to people, it's just that I'm not very good with coming up with things to talk about. 

Those of you who know me know that I'm very quiet, and even socially awkward. I don't say much, and I don't really hang out with many people. Ever since elementary school, I've been a very introverted person. But despite all of this, I can still share the Gospel. Last week, I was able to lead a man from England to Christ through my website, There Must Be More. Over the past two weeks, over 2,000 people have visited There Must Be More, and through it, been able to hear the Gospel.

For me, using computers is a way that I am able to share the Gospel, but for you, it may be that you're good at sports, that you can play an instrument really well, or even talking to people. Regardless of where you are, whether it be at school or home, on the sideline or on the field, you can still represent Christ with what you've been given. 

I'm not writing this to try to make people feel sorry for me because I have Aspergers Syndrome, I'm writing this to encourage you to use your gifts and talents for God. No matter how big of an obstacle is in your way, God can use it for His glory and your good! Something that may seem like nothing but bad news can be used for something better than you could ever imagine. 

I'm going to be blogging every week, so check back next week for more posts. If you have any questions, comments, or would just like to talk, feel free to let me know by clicking here.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30